THE NUMBER of people with HIV in Cheshire East has soared over the last six years, new statistics have revealed.

There were 113 cases reported in the region in 2008 - up from 66 in 2003.

And the level of new patients with the virus has almost doubled , from 17 up to 32 since 2003, according to the latest Health Protection Agency (HPA) figures.

The overall Cheshire East increase of 71pc was lower than the North West average of 92pc.

Professor Mark Bellis, director of the Centre for Public Health, run by the HPA, and co-author of the latest report, said: "While Greater Manchester has the highest levels of HIV in the North West, continuing increases in Merseyside, Lancashire and Cheshire mean they are now experiencing similar rates of HIV to those seen in Manchester only seven years ago.

"Better sexual health services and the promotion of safer sex remain our first lines of defence against the high levels of HIV already seen in some North West areas simply being repeated in others over the next decade."

Cheshire East covers the former Macclesfield, Congleton, and Crewe and Nantwich areas.

Dr Mike Deakin, Associate Director of Public Health in the North West, said the soaring stats could be due to improved detection rates.

He said: "The fact that there is a rise in the number of people being diagnosed as having been infected with HIV is very disappointing.

"It is possible that some of the apparent increase in infection rates is actually due to these efforts to encourage people to get tested, in other words, we are diagnosing infection in people who would previously have been unaware of their infection."